OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators fell 5-1 to the red-hot New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon.
The Devils (15-3-0) have now won 12 straight and there was no doubt who was the better team on this day.
Ottawa (6-10-1) continues to struggle, having won just twice in its last 11 (2-8-1). Late in the game, there was a faint chant of "Fire D.J.'' D.J. Smith is the head coach.
Akira Schmid was solid for the Devils making 25 saves. Erik Haula, Nathan Bastian, Jesper Boqvist, Yegor Sharangovich and Michael McLeod each chipped in a goal.
Derick Brassard scored the lone goal for the Senators. Anton Forsberg started the game for the Senators, but was pulled early in the second after allowing a third goal on 18 shots. Cam Talbot finished the game allowing one goal on 17 shots.
Ottawa's defensive play continues to be a problem.
Haula opened the scoring with a power-play goal early in the first period for his first of the season. Bastian made it 2-0 late in the first jumping on a rebound out front.
The Devils didn't let up making it 3-0 early in the second when Boqvist was able to grab a puck out front putting an end to Forsberg's afternoon.
Brassard finally got the Senators on the board late in the period, but the Devils came right back scoring a shorthanded goal with 34 seconds remaining in the period.
Ottawa pulled the goalie with 4:51 remaining in the third, but the Devils made them pay for it with McLeod scoring an empty-net goal.
MERCER'S 100
Devils forward Dawson Mercer's next game is his 100th NHL game and he will be the fifth player in franchise history to play his first 100 games consecutively. Coming in, the Senators had not lost to the Devils in regulation at home since Dec. 30, 2015 (5-0-3).
NOTES
Ottawa D Artem Zub returned to the lineup after missing the last eight games with an upper-body injury. The Devils are a perfect 7-0-0 against Canadian opponents this season. Today's match-up is the second of three against the Senators. Devils captain Nico Hischier now has 12 points (6G, 6A) over his last 10 games.
UP NEXT
The Senators head to California where they will take on San Jose on Monday. The Devils return home and will host the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
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